Submitted by
Logan Stahl
a Weekend Warrior
from Marietta GA
Date Reviewed: December 1, 2006
Strengths: It has a strong and light frame, shifts well, and handles well on almost all terain.
Weaknesses: If you ride it hard stuff will brake. Some weak parts from my experience are the crank, pedals, and cassette. The fork is almost alright, and the tires suck. The seat is a little stiff but it never really bothered me.
Bottom Line:
Well it's good for your first Mtn. bike as everyone else has said. It's a good all around bike. It definatly has it's limmits. It's tough i mean it lasted me four years.As for the tires i put a set of Bontrager Jones AC's on it they kick ass in the mud they lasted me about 2 years.I put a Shimano deore crank set on it.I also put a Sram cassette on it.
Submitted by
Marc-André
a Weekend Warrior
from Boisbriand, Qc, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2003
Strengths: Nive frame.. light, easy to control, nice brake too.. Shock very smooth..
Weaknesses: pedal... I had to change them...
Bottom Line:
I just bought the bike.. and I fall in love with him... hum.. anyway.. every weekend I wanna ride because I think I have found a very good bike for my level... the only problem was the pedal.. too big.. not a good grip.. I had to change them..
Similar Products Used: A bike from Jamis... dont remember the name... dont care.. I prefer my trek 4300 :p
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Submitted by
Ray
a Weekend Warrior
from Howell NJ USA
Date Reviewed: October 16, 2001
Strengths: Value. For the price, this is a solid bike. It handles well, shifts great, and stops quickly. I am a rookie (for now), and this meets my needs.
Weaknesses: I find the seat uncomfortable after a while. The pedals could use a better grip.
Bottom Line:
For a beginner who wants a good bike without taking out a second mortgage, this is a great product to look at.
Submitted by
shang tsuei
a Cross Country Rider
from rochester,ny
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001
Strengths: great brakes, great shifting, good ass frame, at the best price.
Bottom Line:
I work at a bike shop building bikes and when ever i build a 4300 I enjoy it. The bike builds so easily because of the components used. The bike shifts beautifuly and the brakes are the best availible in this price range. Bottom line this it the best bike for the money. Our shop sells for 340. Can't be beat.
Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from Newington, CT
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2001
Strengths: The frame itself is fairly nice for a begining level mountain bike. The bars are a second feature that I also found nice.
Weaknesses: The combonation of shifter and brake lever in one seems to be a problem for me. I think that it would be better to have them seperate. The shock also is a great down fall to the bike. I ride pretty hard and for someone who is not afraid to take a few good drops the shock is too weak. It bottoms out easily and the rebound is way too fast.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line... for a beginer to the mountain bike scene it is a good bike. For someone who is going to ride it a little harder the bike is a good point to start and then add onto to make nicer. With some changes to the parts this bike could really rock.
Similar Products Used: A close bike setup wise is the specialized hardrock. Both bikes, while having nice frames and other parts which catch peoples eyes, they both lack the quality of a good fork.
Bike Setup: Right now I'm riding with the advent downhill bars(cut). I also have switch the fork out for last years manitou sx. In the near future I am going to switch over to clipless with the rockwerks pedels and specialized shoes. I also switch the front brake arms over to the shimonos and I plan on switching the back brakes very soon. I also plan on changing the crank arms over to the bontragers.
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Submitted by
Daniel
a Weekend Warrior
from Bay Area, Ca, usa
Weaknesses: lousy seat (for fat people), huffy pedals, noisy chain-deraleur set, weak shox (in-sync...shoot the person who came up with that brand name)
Bottom Line:
This bike has so much potential...buy it at it's price and spend some $$$ on modifying seat, pedals, shox and you'll have a bike that rides like a $1500+ bike. I ride fairly hard doing 2' drops and 'moguls'. When I use the front brakes, I can hear the 'click' of the looseness of the front shox. They have too much travel and bottoms out quick. I've raped this bike several times and it still keeps cuming for more. A perfect weekend warrior bike. I'm definately keeping it for a while after I modify it. Email me if u have questions.
this bike is so so, but the frame is awesome, you need to use the above upgrades to make it good. the ffront derailleur sucks big time. shifting sucks too. need new derailleurs.
Bike Setup: avid 9.0 brake levers, sram brakes, shimano pedals
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Submitted by
Sammy Givenberg
a Weekend Warrior
from Wideoaks, Montana, USA
Date Reviewed: May 22, 2001
Strengths: Thig bike is super light. It handles like a dream. I do 2'-5' drops and it seems to glide through the air. The awsome paint sceme is incredable. I was also impressed with the brake components, they react like dick brakes.
Weaknesses: The gear components stink!! I've bent the front derailor at least three times now. The rear derailor spring is as tight as a banjo string and the gear shifter is like tightening a 2" ball. The pedals are really cheep. Who would put a reflector on the outer side of the pedal.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for weekend wariors as well as the diehard. It is light and it handles well. For the price, it is a great bike, Just plan on getting some new pedals.
Bike Setup: Basically stock, it keeps it lighter and faster.
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Submitted by
Tony Mateus
a Weekend Warrior
from Ludlow Massachusetts
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2001
Strengths: Great price, the frame is guaranteed for life, parts for a year, alot of quality components
Weaknesses: coudn't tell you yet, but I can see getting some better tires and upgrading the shocks after I wear these out
Bottom Line:
This bike handles awesome on and off road. It accelerates great, the wheel hubs feels smooth, the quick fire shifters work great, the brakes stop on a dime, the aluminum frame feels light and solid. You can tell this bike will stand up to alot of abuse. The 4300 is without a doubt the best bike out there for under 400 bucks.
Similar Products Used: Pacific (dept. store), Next(dept. store), Diamondback Outlook
Bike Setup: Just a Mongoose pump, some tools and tire repair stuff in an under-seat pouch, bottle holder, otherwise stock
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Submitted by
Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2001
Strengths: (This is for the 2001 Trek 4300, by the way)Great price, great weight, incredible brakes. Very upgradeable, especially at the price. Great gearing for x-country riding, and cruises well on pavement too.
Weaknesses: The front derailleur either scrapes or has problems shifting (and has even thrown my chain already), bike seems too short (length wise; it's a 16.5", and I'm 5'7") from the seat to the handlebars...my legs tend to cramp unless I'm sitting almost off the back of the seat. The grips are kinda "unsightly" and they're too small for me. I also am not a big fan of either the red (which I have) or the yellow paint scheme.
Bottom Line:
A great bike for a great price! Just upgrade that front derailleur (which is listed on the Trek website as a Shimano, but there's only some other unknown name and some numbers on the back of mine). This is most likely the best bike I could have gotten for getting back into mountain biking on a budget.
Bike Setup: All stock, except for a Trek "Contoured Relief Zone" seat upgrade and pedal clips.
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Submitted by
Adam
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal, QC, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2001
Strengths: Good component mix for the money. Threadless headset. It's shiny and new, like 80's madonna.
Weaknesses: It's too soon in our relationship for me to see her faults. Except for that one piece crank set. It's Altus, though.
Bottom Line:
I looked at a lot of bikes in this range, mostly from last year. I didn't want grip shifts, which are common at this price. I believe this has the same frame type as many of the mid-range treks. It's sorta light. You don't lose out on your drivetrain just to get a low-end suspension fork. I do most of my moving in the city, so I don't really need one right away anyhow. The frame should last, so it'll be upgradable. Treks come with a lifetime warranty on the frame. You get a lot, but you won't pay a lot. I paid $429 Canadian. That's what, 20, 30 bucks american? No really, 50 bucks? That's a good deal, hombre.
Similar Products Used: Steel Raleigh, circa '92. She's a good old girl. It's okay, you can sleep now. Does anyone else remember Exage?
Bike Setup: Stock - alivio rear, altus front, altus crank, "Vbrake" ezfire shifters/brake levers. Toe clips, no-name direct pull brakes.
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Submitted by
Bob
a Weekend Warrior
from Issaquah, Washington
Date Reviewed: April 14, 2001
Strengths: This review is for the 2001 Trek 4300. The 2001 model comes with a Insync 266 front shock, a TY40 crank and a C050/Acera 21 speed shifting.
The 2001 4300 comes with a great frame, brakes, and a cool looking paint job.
Weaknesses: I have tried many times to adjust the the front derailleur but have had no luck in preventing the chain from hitting the outer edge of the derailleur on the middle chain ring (4-7). I have taken this to my LBS for adjstment and still the problem exist. I just shift around this.
This will be someting that I replace in the future.
Bottom Line:
This is great bike for the price. I live in an area that is wet and muddy. This bike has come through for me and I really can't complain too much. I have logged in around 450 miles so far and everything seems to be holding up pretty well. I take this bike out every weekend to the single track near my house and abuse it. The mud can get up to 6 inches in some areas.
This is a great bike for the person who is just getting started in trail riding. I will be giving this bike to my daugter real soon as I have recently put on lay away a 2000 FSR Stumpjumper Comp. Thanks TREK for a great product !
Bike Setup: I added a SKS front and rear fendor (I live in a pretty wet area this helps keep the mud from getting in my eyes and the dirt off my back. Also, I added a Cat-eye halogen light and toe-clips.
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Submitted by
Vic
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2001
Strengths: Lightweight and very strong frame. Great price tag. The brakes!!..I'm 280+ pounds and can lockup the rear wheel..amazing!!! The black and yellow paint scheme is awsome.
Weaknesses: Front deraileurs. Shifting cab be a bit sketchy at times.
Bottom Line:
I had a friend (who is an experienced MTB racer) help me pick this bike out. I really like it and plan to put it through the paces the next few months. I strongly recommend this bike for the first time MT biker on a budget.
Bike Setup: Stock but, will replace the front deraileur, pedals and seat within the next week or two.
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Submitted by
Eric
a Weekend Warrior
from Holland, MI
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2000
Strengths: Good bike for cost.
Weaknesses: Some components lacking in quality
Bottom Line:
This is a good bike for its cost. It is reliable and performs adequately. The no-name brakes and low grade shimano shifters are the first components that you will need to change. The shifters won't feel great after 1000 miles and the brakes tend to bind and are difficult to adjust. This is the highest quality hardtail with a rigid fork that Trek sells. However it is still an entry level bike with components common to the lowest end Trek models. I would have been more satisfied if they used Alivo components thoughout.
Bike Setup: Swapped knobby tires for Conti Golaiths
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Submitted by
Jeremy Joyce
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia, PA
Date Reviewed: October 16, 2000
Strengths: Ok,
Well I suppose I am not your average rider. I sometimes spend hours doing endos and bunny hops in my kitchen. I like to jump off curbs and smash into things. I hadnt ridden a bike for a really long time but then moved to the city of Philadelphia. I sold my car and bought a bike. The TREK 4300 seemed great cause it was cheap, had cool components, and was rigid for city riding. I beat the hell out of this bike. I have had to true the wheels, tighten the headset, and adjust the derailers and brakes, but considering the sidewalk gaps I try to bunny hop on it, its reasonable.
Weaknesses: none for the price
Bottom Line:
Seems like a Good frame. I am ready to get serious, once my gosh darned new wheels come in the mail. This was a great starter bike cause it didnt cost me a fortune and is totally upgradable. If it wasnt for a good bike like this I wouldnt want to do bunny hops and endos.
P.S.
Trek's website sucks They should give you stuff like BB dimensions
